Jeremy Balfour, former MSP for the Lothian region and Convenor of the Scottish Government’s Cross-Party Group on Disability, shares his experience of navigating politics as a disabled person and how practical support like the Access to Elected Office Fund can help to remove barriers to participation. First elected in 2016, he reflects on his journey into elected office, the importance of disability representation in politics, and the role the Fund has played in supporting his campaign.
What first made you consider standing for elected office?
I started to get involved in politics after I left school. I got more involved in Party politics in the late 1980s and stood for local elections in Edinburgh for the first time in the early 1990s.
Disabled individuals make up over 20% of the population in Scotland*. They have unique challenges and insights but are not often heard in politics. If we want laws and debates shaped by everyone in Scotland, then disabled individuals need to be there and need to be heard.
What kinds of support have you been able to access through the Fund?
During my campaign, someone helped me to deliver leaflets around the region I was standing in and got lifts to meetings. This allowed me to campaign much more effectively.
What would you say to a disabled person who is thinking about standing for election?
Go for it! If I can stand and win, anyone can do it.
The Access to Elected Office Fund allows you to stand on an even playing field and gives you the chance of fighting a normal campaign. It allows you to compete equally with non-disabled people, and perhaps even win.
In one sentence, what has the Access to Elected Office Fund meant to you?
The Fund has allowed me to campaign as if I did not have my disability.
Three words to describe your experience of standing for election?
Empowering, fun, rewarding
Finish this sentence: “Because of the Access to Elected Office Fund, I can…”
Fight my own campaign on my own terms!
Thinking about standing in 2027 Scottish council elections?
Jeremy’s story highlights how practical support can make a real difference in enabling disabled people to campaign on an equal footing.
If you’re a disabled person considering standing in the 2027 Scottish council elections, the Access to Elected Office Fund, which is funded by Scottish Government and delivered by Inclusion Scotland, can help remove practical and financial barriers so you can focus on your campaign.
To find out more, visit Access to Politics – Inclusion Scotland or email civicparticipation@inclusionscotland.org.
* Please note that Jeremy’s quoted figure (20%) was correct when he first entered parliament but since 2022 (Scotland’s Census) this figure has increased to 24%. Disabled people have gone from making up 1/5 to 1/4 of the population – a significant minority.